September 19, 2002

Hundreds Debate Over Grad Unions

Yesterday, hundreds of graduate students confronted the promise and peril of graduate student unionization in a panel discussion at the David L. Call Alumni Auditorium.

While members of the Cornell Association of Student Employees/United Auto Workers (CASE/UAW) distributed buttons and flyers at the entrance, graduate students opposed to unionization were also vocal and present in large numbers. Both groups filled the auditorium so that many were left without seats.

Some anti-union students expressed their belief that they are students foremost, not student-employees.

“We are working for publications, with faculty and for our careers,” said Sarah Sawyer grad. “Nobody would be here if we were here for the money.”

Last semester, CASE/UAW collected enough union card signatures to prompt a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing into the legality and the appropriateness of student-employee unionization.

In July, CASE/UAW and the University struck a deal to hold an election without further NLRB hearings and to exclude undergraduates and others that CASE/UAW had originally proposed to include in the bargaining unit.

While some felt that the University’s offer of a free graduate education in exchange for teaching is adequate, others disagreed.

“It’s not just about money but also voice and compensation,” said panelist Prof. Harry Katz, the J. Sheinkman Professor of Collective Bargaining.

One contested issue was health care.

“I have a really bad toothache and it will cost me 10 percent of my annual salary to get a root canal,” said David Stolzberg grad. “Our health care sucks; It only works if you don’t get sick.”

Panel member Prof. Nick Salvatore, industrial and labor relations and American studies, dealt with these issues years ago when he was an organizer for the student union at University of California at Berkeley.

“Teaching assistants are critical to the running of the University,” he said. “I do not believe that graduate student organization is inherently detrimental to the University, to the faculty, or to the undergraduates and their education.”

Salvatore, who studies American labor history, likened graduate students to apprentices, adding that in colonial times apprentices and masters were each bound by contracts with provisions beneficial to each.

Some graduate students felt that the University makes clear what their options are and that they are free to take or leave their stipends.

“I knew the bargain I was getting when I came here and I considered it in my decision,” said Michael Garcia grad.

J. Robert Cooke, dean of faculty, scheduled the panel to be a faculty forum but the overwhelming majority of those present were graduate students.

“I think it’s great that all the comments at this faculty forum were from students,” said Prof. Ronald G. Ehrenberg, the Irving M. Ives Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics. Ehrenberg authored one of two papers on the effects of graduate student unionization that Katz and others cited during the discussion.

Katz spoke about the evidence from Ehrenberg’s paper showing that graduate student unions have had no statistically significant effect on wages but may boost health coverage.

While Katz praised the University for agreeing to hold an election, he criticized the Sept. 3 statement President Hunter R. Rawlings III made against unionization as, “presumptuous” for not remaining neutral.

“This is a decision up to the employees, not the management,” he said.

Speaking against unionization, Prof. David Collum, chemistry and chemical biology said that in, “a battle between Cornell efforts to be a prominent institution and the UAW’s efforts to be a prominent organization, I have to vote with Cornell.”

Collum repeated a concern Rawlings expressed that Cornell’s dispararte departments must be free to specially tailor their programs to graduate students.

“The chemistry department can’t negotiate for physics,” he said. “My fear is that [the negotiators] will be from the ILR school.”

Kerim Odekon grad opposed Collum’s presentation.

“I would ask the faculty to stay neutral,” he said. “I’m convinced more than ever that the union is appropriate.”

“Do we want to replace our mutually beneficial relationship with this system of antagonism?” she asked.

McNeil calculated that each year, “the UAW will get at least $350,000” from any union.

“Unlike some here, I’m not being paid by anyone to say this,” she said, pointing out that the UAW has a paid staff of organizers, including current grad students.

Robb Willer grad, a CASE/UAW organizer on the panel, said that though he was not paid, there are three graduate students working part time, who are paid at rates similar to those of teaching assistants.

“Cornell has put up a lot of resources on the other end,” he said. “This is pretty normal.”

Organizers from other graduate students campaigns have joined CASE/UAW’s effort.

“The UAW has provided useful organizational advice from their experience in different campaigns,” Willer said.

Panelist Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources, spoke from the administration’s perspective. She was concerned about a loss of flexibility, the fundamental change a union would represent and the line between academic and work responsibilities.

“Decisions once decided between faculty and graduate students may now be at to the bargaining table,” she said. “We need to keep this conversation within a reasoned level and we need every graduate student to go vote.”

In the Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 unionization election, a majority vote of 2,300 eligible teaching assistants, research assistants, graduate research assistants and graduate assistants will create or prevent a union.

If it should win, CASE/UAW will become the sole bargaining agent on wages and terms and conditions of employment for all graduate students eligible to vote. They would be UAW members and be required to pay union dues.

Graduate students would then elect a negotiating committee that would solicit the priorities of the members and then negotiate a contract with the University.

The University would be bound to negotiate a contract in good faith, any final one would be submitted to the graduate students for a vote to approve or reject that contract. A contract would last a minimum of three years.

The panel was hosted by Edward J. Lawler, dean of the College of Industrial and Labor Relations and also included Prof. Stewart Schwab, law.

“It is very hard to know [from this forum] how the majority of students will vote,” Schwab said.

This is the "wpengine" admin user that our staff uses to gain access to your admin area to provide support and troubleshooting. It can only be accessed by a button in our secure log that auto generates a password and dumps that password after the staff member has logged in. We have taken extreme measures to ensure that our own user is not going to be misused to harm any of our clients sites.

Related

Speed kills, and if Cornell’s fleet-footed wide receivers have their way this season, they will be burning opposing secondaries up and down Schoellkopf Field. While this talented group returns just one senior, Keith Ferguson, it boasts several players who have had extensive game time. Ferguson, the Red’s leading receiver a season ago, will once again look to be the focal point of the team’s passing attack. The 5-9 wideout has excelled in his first three seasons on the East Hill, snatching 41 balls in both his freshman and sophomore years and a career-high 50 in the 2001 campaign. His 50 catches last season netted him 507 yards, which were also a team-high. While Ferguson averaged just over 10 yards per reception last season, he is undoubtedly Cornell’s biggest playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. “He’s going to make big plays all the time,” senior tight end Matt Wise said. “He’s quick and makes guys miss. He just comes up with balls when he really shouldn’t.” Junior John Kellner will start across from Ferguson after achieving unexpected success as the team’s third receiver last year. Receiving significant playing time in the 2001 season, Kellner caught a team-best three touchdowns, while gaining 437 yards on his 31 receptions. With extended time on the field this season, Kellner will be counted upon to give the Red a solid secondary receiver. “They’ll be seeing [Kellner] 50 percent more than last year and that’s a lot more trouble,” Ferguson said. Coming in on passing downs, juniors Chad Nice and Vic Yanz will give senior quarterback Mick Razzano additional down field targets. In his first season as a wideout last season, Nice secured 12 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns. In his limited action, Nice flashed big-play potential, including a 45-yard catch and run against Brown. Meanwhile, Yanz will give the Red a dependable possession receiver after catching eight balls for 114 yards last season. With opposing defenses certain to key in on Ferguson in the early part of the season, it will be necessary for the other receivers to establish themselves as legitimate threats. “Ferg is going to see some double teams this year, and my goal is to not let them do that,” Kellner said. “If they double him, then I’m going to be single-covered and I’m going to have to make big plays to get the double teams off of Ferg.” For his part, Ferguson believes that his fellow pass-catchers can utilize their speed to stretch the field and create opportunities for him. “We’ve got great speed at the position this year, and I just don’t see teams being able to key in on one guy,” he said. “It’s not going to be easy to double-team me because those guys can definitely play, and they’re going to help me out.” As a unit, the Cornell receivers do not boast extraordinary size. In fact, Nice is the biggest of the group at 6-0, 186 pounds. However, the group is blessed with excellent speed, which should pose problems for opponents who choose to play the Red with man-to-man coverage. Besides catching balls, a requisite for a receiving corps is throwing blocks for other ballcarriers. In that respect, no member of the group does a better job than Cornell’s starting tight end, Wise. Although Wise does not earn many individual accolades, he excels at his often overlooked job as a blocker, and will once again be an integral cog of the team’s ground attack. Wise has managed just nine catches in three prior seasons, but he gives the team a strong blocker on the end of the line. At 6-0, 255 lbs., he acts as virtually a sixth offensive lineman. However, in addition to his blocking duties, he may be called upon to take on more of a burden as a pass-catcher this coming season. With a relatively inexperienced quarterback, Wise’s ability to work the middle of the field will be crucial to the passing attack. “We’re doing a lot with the tight end this year, getting the tight end as the primary receiver on some plays,” Wise said. With the elusive Ferguson leading the way and a strong supporting cast behind him, the Cornell receiving corps looks to post big numbers in the coming season. “We expect to be the best group in the league,” Ferguson said emphatically. Archived article by Alex Ip

Cue the emotionally charged music, it’s time for some action. As the chorus reaches a drum-charged climax, the 2002 new-look Cornell football team storms the Christy Matthewson Memorial Stadium field at Patriot League rival Bucknell. This will be the scene tomorrow night at 7 p.m. as the Red heads into game one of its season. “We’re obviously very excited, we’ve had some great practices recently. The overall enthusiasm of the team has just skyrocketed. We’ve been doing this practice thing for so long now that we finally have something to look forward to this weekend,” said senior captain fullback Nate Archer. What Cornell is looking forward to most are answers to the many questions surrounding this year’s squad. Cornell is a young team, boasting just 31 upperclassmen heading into Saturday’s contest which leads many to question the team’s potential. There are also ongoing position battles at quarterback, halfback, special teams, and even on the offensive line. That’s not to mention several other question marks in the many rotations Cornell uses on both sides of the ball. “We just want to get out there and see what we’re all about,” said senior defensive tackle Bill Goodrich. The mirror with which Cornell will view itself is a formidable opponent. Though Bucknell is currently 0-2, having lost its first two contests against Duquesne and St. Mary’s, the early mark can be deceiving. Bucknell’s defense was fifth-best in the nation last season and is giving up 25 yards less per game in 2002 than a year ago. Its offense has also improved, having totaled more first downs and total yards than its opponent in both of the Bison’s losing efforts. “They’re a team that lies about their 0-2 record.” said head coach Tim Pendergast. “They’re a very good football team, and they’ve had their share of bad luck over the first two games.” That bad luck included a waived off field goal at the end of last week’s double overtime loss to St. Mary’s. The questionable call came just moments after the Bucknell players had stormed the field in celebration. The week before had seen an overmatched Duquesne team sneak off with a victory on the strength of a myriad of Bucknell mental mistakes, penalties, and turnovers. The Bison’s potent defense is led by the scary trio of senior nose tackle Adam Lord, classmate linebacker Joe Massey, and sophomore linebacker Stephane Pluviose. Lord was named the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in July while Massey was most recently named Patriot League Player of the Week after his 11 tackle effort last Saturday. Having racked up 42 tackles in 10 games last year, Lord was also Bucknell’s lone All-American and team MVP. Pendergast and Co. are aware of the Bison’s defensive prowess and are giving it due respect. “This may be one of, if not the, best defense we’ll play all year,” said Pendergast. On offense, Bucknell is led by senior quarterback Todd Wenrich. The Bison play a fairly balanced offense as far as attempts are concerned but depend on their aerial assault for most of their yards. Senior wideout Jim Horan — a first team Patriot League selection a year ago — and junior Albert Marquardt are Wenrich’s preferred targets. Bucknell’s rushing game has struggled to date with junior running back Jess Brinson garnering most of the carries. Cornell’s biggest concerns heading into tomorrow’s match up are typical of a team that has yet to take the field of play. However, Pendergast is preaching a sense of preparedness to his players that should solve some of his team’s pre-game jitters. “We’re taking this game in midseason form. We’re not talking much about this being our first game. Rather, we’re talking about playing in mid or late season form,” he said. Pendergast does not ignore his players’ anxiety heading into their first game of 2002. However, he thinks that such pressure should be present on a year long basis, not just week one. “I hope that all 62 players have jitters, but I hope that they have jitters on week 5, 8, 10. They should have jitters that means that they’re ready that means they’re focused.” Though the Cornell mindset may be more indicative of the mid-season, its questions remain those of an untested unit. Senior quarterback Mick Razzano will lead the Red offense on Saturday knowing that he could be replaced by junior D.J. Busch on any given drive. Sophomore tailback Marcus Blanks will also be playing with a certain amount of urgency as senior counterpart Brian Ulbricht will be waiting on the sidelines to take Blanks’ spot at a moment’s notice. Much of Cornell’s lineup is characterized by a revolving door-style rotation, but the battles that have shaped many of the skill positions in the offseason remain uncertainties heading into tomorrow night. Regardless of the air of doubt surrounding the Red, the team is charged up for its first taste of competition. Bucknell is a team that beat Cornell two seasons ago by a score of 38-15, dominating on both sides of the ball throughout. The defeat has only added fuel to Cornell’s fire leading into this year’s game. “I remember the game two years ago very well. It was the first game I played in for Cornell and it hurt bad to lose,” said Archer, “we’re hoping [tomorrow] will provide us a better result, and we’re all psyched for that opportunity.” Maybe Pendergast said it best when he described his team’s attitude heading to Bucknell. “We’re ready to roll,” he concluded. As the music fades out, the Red line up for the very first play of its season. It is then that all the talking will stop, and the Red will finally get down to its more preferred business of action. Archived article by Scott Jones